Wire stitching machine



May 15, 1945. T. A. MCCOY WIRE STITCHING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1938 2 Sh eets-Sheet 1 III MCCOY THOMAS A INVENTOR.

May 15, 19 45. T, MccOY WIRE STII'GHING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 I u m 0 J J I I w H kw 4 w w 6 a 4 n 5 4 D W I v m m 6 n w m n: U. Q L 4 E my 3 a QM Q W w THO/7A5 A. N900 Y TO/PA/E y.

wh c Fig. I is a generally Patented May 15, 1945 UNITED i S ATE ATENfO F This invention relates -to wire stitching ma-, chines of the general character employed for stitching together the lapped or abutted edges of corrugated'paper boxes and the like. I H

It is a primary object of this invention to'provide for the cycling operation of suchmachines,

' so that, when a box form is properly positioned in the machinev and the'stitching initiated; the entire joint is stitched from end to end without the, supervision of the operator. .By;this inven-. tion the stitches are placed in a definite relation to the ends of the joint, an'd, since this result is automatically effected, the need for kill in the stitching of boxblank is eliminated, 3.5 818 fatigue andinaccuracy incident to manual con-. trol, H 1

It is a, further object of .thisinvention to provide a. construction whereby the number .of stitches thatcan .be'made incident to'any one cycle of operation, can be readily varied; i

Anotherobject of the invention is to reduce the operatorsduties to a minimum, it beingvonlyvnece essary to position a box blank properly in a machine and'to trip. a starting member withlthe result that'the machine cycles to complete the stitching, to discharge the stitched blank, and to bring the machine to a stop. I

Another object" is toprovide for variationof the relative spacing of the stitches, as, for example, to place two stitches closetogethernear the endsof the joint while maintaining a permissibly larger spacing between the remaining stitches. 1 4 v It is a further object of the invention to attain the foregoing objects by simple modifications of existing stitching machines. r i

' Other objects will become apparent from a con sideration of the following specificationtaken in connection with the accompanying drawings in H schematic representation in elevation of a stitching machine of the gen eral character to which this invention maybe applied;v V

' Fig. II is a fragmentary plan view of structure beneath the platform ,4 of the machine of Fig..-I: and

. Fig. III is a fragmentary elevational view,. partially in section, with wall 38 removed, andshowing certain parts in an alternative. or work feed ing position, in fdotted lines;

lows.

machine comprising a frame 2 having a platform 4 and providing an arm 6 carrying a stitching head 8 and a, work guide I0 overlying and in close proximity to the platform. Stitching head 8 is driven by a motor l2 connected to drive shaft I4 through clutch l 6 of any suitable character, such clutch bein underfthe control of the operator as by means of a pitman l8 and treadle operating against a clutch release spring 22.

The foregoing construction, without the construction hereinafter described, is operated as fol- The operator places the box blank 24, with its edges 26 and 28 in the work guide as illus- Fig; IV shows a carton with stitching appl ed.

thereto.

In Fig. I there is illustrated a wire stitchin trated, Figure I, with the leading end of the joint beneath the operating point of the stitching head 8, Figure III, and with the work abutting the gaugestop 18. The operator remainsin linewith thedirection of the joint that is, to theright of Figure III, and in rear of head 8 in Figure I, to guide the blank in alignment with the head, and operates the clutch by means of treadle 20 to cause operation of the stitching head 8. A second operator standsat the right of the machine of .Fig. I and feeds the work through at as near a uniform rate as'skill permits his position permitting a view of thespaces betweenv stitches. When the last stitch has been made, the pedal 20 i s released by the first mentioned operator and thesecond operator removes the stitched box blank from the platform, while the first operator secures a fresh blank and positions the same in the machine. y

The additionalstructure employed in the preferred modification of this, invention facilitates operation of the machine by a single unskilled operator andat production rates in excess of that for two operators using the unimproved machine.

The construction comprises a power shaft 3 0 deriving rotation by suitable connections such as sprockets and chain 32; from shaft l4, and is therefore under the :control of clutch l6 and treadle 2|). Shaft 30 is supported by bearings 34 inthe walls 36 and 38 of the frame 2. Shaft 30 carries a variablepitchf plit pulley 40 and a cam driving pinion A2. Pivotally carried by ja rock shaft 44, is a feed roller 46 mounted between arms 48 rigidly secured to said rock shaft 44, the roller 46 being driven by pulley 50 from belt 52 driven by shaft .30 and; split pulley. Since the distance between centers of pulleys 40 and 50 is only slightly varied during operation, and, sincethe split pulley is used at any event, the construction used avoidsthe necessity ofmore elaborate connectionssuchfor example, a placing an integral pair of pulleys running free on arms 58, to rock about said shaft 44 and to be continuously driven about its own axis from gear 62 by idler gear 64 free on shaft 44 and further suitable connections to a second motor 66.

Arms 58 are rigidly secured together, for oscillation about shaft 44, by beam 61 and are po sitioned by can arm 68 acting in opposition to a. sprin 72 suitably positioned, as shownbet'wee'n lugs on arms 68 and 88, to cause the camarm' 66;- I

and roller 10, to follow the cam 14.

Discharge roller 60 is continuously driven' irom motor 66 but becomes operative to discharge.

stitched box blanks only when projected .above the; surface of platform 4 to the dotted line po-' sition of Figure III to engage the lower surface of the 'boxblank and impel it from' the platform;

Pinion 42 meshes with a gear 76, Figure II, and infdotted-outline, Figure III, carried on a stubshaft 18 and drives a cam 80as well as cam 14, these cams being formed on the same ring for convenience. Stub shaft 18 is adjustably position-able at'v arying distances from the axis of pinion 42 so that gears 16 of different diameters may be mounted thereon 'to mesh with said-pinion, and'for this purpose may be mounted in any one of a plurality of trunnion blocks 82, such' b'locks being bored for the reception of the stubshaft 18 at different distances from the ends of the respective blocks, and such blocks being "rigidly held in a cage 84 as by bars 86.

Rig-idly secured to shaft 44 so as to oscillate feed roller 46 and arms 48 thereabout, is asecond cam arm '88 having a roller 90 for engagemen't with the cam contour 80, said aim being biased to cam engagement by spring 12.

Cam contour "'80' is so designed that the dwells therein allow feed roller 46 to be moved, by spring 72, upwardly into engagement with the work and to move the work past the head between stitches in the direction indicated by the arrows. To facilitate the movement of the work in response to thetractive'effort of roller 46, a series of rollers '92 is mounted above the work, on work guide H1, in opposition to roller 46 to efiectmaximum leftward tractive efiect, as viewed in Figure III, and minimum braking resistance. Since the feed roller 46 operates to feed work only when the follower 90 is in a dwell 94 of cam contour 80, the-lengths of the dwells determine the distance that the work travels between stitches.

It should be noted that the pinion 42 is dis-'- placed or rotated in direct proportion tothe displacement of the stitching mechanism, as for example, one rotation of the pinion 42 occurs between two successive operations by the stitching head. Therefore, if the space between stitches is desired to be increased or decreased, such variations may be imposed by mechanisms which are variable between stitches. The amount of travel between stitches is controlled by two different means in this instance, one being the lengths the length of the stitch spacing, as well as the total length of the stitch, produced. during a cycle is proportionate to the speed of the roller 46 Referring to Fig. III it will be noted that the lobes of cam 80 have been marked at certain points by letters. At position a, corresponding to a midpoint in the operational cycle, the roller 46 has been retracted or depressed, the work stopped, and the stitching head 8 is placing a stitch in the work. Cam portion a is of such length as to permit completion of the stitching operation and thereupon the roller 90 drops into dwell 9 4 to position the feeding roller 46 to cause 'a 'feeding forward of the work. When lobe b :1 reabhes. rollerjllfl, it, also, depresses roller 46 to full line positionand the work stops again whereuponthe'stitching operation is repeated. A similarelfect is had incident to the positioning of lobe 0. After lobe c has passed roller 90, a short dwell 94c occurs in cam 80. This simply means that the roller 46 is effective to move the work only a short distance after the occurrence of the stitch corresponding to lobe 0. At the point (1 another stitch is'made, which, because of the small amount of travel of the work since the making of stitch c, is proportionately closer to stitch 0 than was stitch b.

According to the present construction stitches c and d are the lasttwo stitches of a cycle and occur adjacent theend of a joint. After the making of the stitch d, which is the last stitch for the cycle, the machine is automatically stopped, the dwell 15 in cam 14 controlling the stoppage. .Normally, roller rides on the concentric contour 14, retaining the discharge roller 60 below the surface of the platform through arm 68 and bar 61, .locking the treadle lever 96 in running .position through link 1100 acting against pin .l'll2 carried on control lever 96, holding the clutch I6 in engaged position through link 18, and retaining the gage stop 98, suitably connected to member 18, in retracted position.

The stoppage of the machine occurs when the roller rides into dwell75, assuming the dotted line position, allowing (upward movement of link I00 and, thus, releasing clutch spring 22 to permit vthesame to disengage the clutch l6. At the same time the ejector roller 60 moves up to dotted lineposition against the lower side of the box blank and ejects the blank, leftward in Figure III, from the machine. Simultaneously with release of the clutch and the ejectment of the finished work, the cam i=5, acting through roller H3 and pitman I00, releases the actuator 96 for stop 98, thus permitting the gage stop 9.8 to take an operative positionabove the platform surface to properly position the next box blank.

After the insertion'of the stitch corresponding to the cam position d, cam roller 90 continues in an elevated position with roller 46 in position during the time the roller "I'll remains in dwell 15, which includes the time during which the machine remains stopped. This permits insertion of a new container blank between rollers 92.

' isnow depressed which causes link Hi to operate the clutch 16 to engaged position, and removes the stop 98 from the path of the work, that is, to run line position, Figure III. The

Engagement of clutch It causes the pinion 42 to-begin its rotation'whereupon cam dwell causes roller 10 to actuatepitman I00 into a position, full'line in Figure III, wherein it locks the treadle down or in clutch engaged position, which also looks the gage stop 98, downand holds the ejector roll 60 down or inoperative. Thispower' operation of the pitman avoidsjithe necessity of actuation of the treadle and starting of the machine manually against the pressure of spring 12, the force for manual initiation of the operation being restricted to that necessary for actuation of the clutch and removal of the stop 98 to anon-impeding position. e

As cam roller 19 again rides onto the concentrio contour", ejector 60 isretracted from operative position and locked in inoperative position, shownin full lines in Figure III, pending the completion of the stitching phase of the cycle.

Since the stop 98 has already positioned the work for reception of a stitchin a proper initial position, the feed roller;46 need not feed the work prior to the first stitch and therefore remains in a retractedposition as dictated by cam lobed. At the juncture of the position e of the cam and roller 90 a stitch is inserted in the work. Desirably the next stitch should be placed near the first stitch, so, a short dwell 94c permits only a short feed of the work-by roller 46 prior to the insertion of the second stitch corresponding to the position I of thecam. Following a longer feeding of the work corresponding to th longer dwell 94], a third stitch is inserted. Succeeding operations are similar to those heretofore de;

scribed. i

It will be 'clear from the. foregoing that the relative positioning of the stitches depends upon the period of time between stitches duringv which the feed roller 46 is permitted to engage the work, that is, the time during which it is in the dotted line position, Figure'III, and that in this instance, this factor is controlled by the lengths of the dwells 94a, b, c,etc. The cam 80 provides for the making of seven stitches but, desirably,

the machine is adaptable to make different numbers'of stitches during acycle. I

If a larger number of stitches is desired, the gear 16 is increased in pitch circumference in direct proportion to the increase in'StltCheS, and the cam 94 is given the corresponding number oflobes. The same pinion 42 is. desirably retained, and, therefore, the ratio of gears 42 and 16 is such that the number of rotations of ear 42 fora cycle of the machine is equal to the number of stitches to be inserted during that length, may thereby be accommodated by a simple adjustment. I 1.

r In generalthe cam: ring diameter corresponds with the diameter of the gearlfi so that the positions of the cam rollers-10 and 90 need not vary for cams providing for varying numbers of stitches. 7

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, various modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art, and it should be understood that the invention is limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed is: H I 1. In a wire stitching machine, ahead, means for driving said head to stitch work presented thereto, continuously driven means in contact with the work for moving work past said head, and means for removing said moving means from the work, whereby relative movement between said head and the work due to said moving means is avoided, during the making of astitch. i

2. Ina wire stitching machine; a stitching head; stitch-space control means; a stationary workguideway; continuously,moving work engaging and disengaging feeding means; and

means for actuating and driving the head,.the

feeding means and the control means to cause the head to apply a row of stitches in varying space relation to work presentedthereto, including means forconnecting said driving means to said head to drive the'same, manual means for initiating the connection of said driving means to said head by said connecting means, means responsive to said driving means in its initial movement after such connection to hold said connecting means in connected position, and means whereby said driving means releases said connecting means to disconnected position.

3.' In a wire stitching machine, a head", means for'driving said head to cause the same to stitch work presented thereto, stitch spacing means including means adapted to vary the stitch spacing', continuously driven means for engaging and driving work pastsaid head betweenstitches and disengaging the work during stitches, and control means adapted to render said work driving means eifective and ineffective whereby. the spacing of the stitches in the work is varied,

4. In a wire stitching machine, means for initiating the operation of said machine, continu ously moving work driving means, and means, including a cam operated positioning device for said driving means, operative after a predetermined number of operations bys'aid machine for varying the spacing of the stitches placed on the work.

5. In a wire stitching machine, means'for initiating operation thereof, means whereby a plurality of stitches are applied to work in spaced relationship, and means includinga continuously moving Work engaging and disengaging feed device and controller therefor forcausing groups of stitches to vary in the spacing of the stitches thereof. 1

6. In a wire stitching machine, a stitch forming and applying head, means including idle rollers on said head and a continuously driven roller cooperative therewith to cause work to pass the same, means to cause the work to stop during a stitching operation, and means to cause a variation in the stitching spaces.

'7. In a wire stitching machine, continuously moving work engaging and disengaging means for feeding, work through such machine, means for stopping the feeding operation, andmeans re sponsive to said stopping means for discharging work from the machine.

8. In a stitching machine, a platform, a stitching head, positioned for cooperation therewith to place a series of stitches in work passed over said platform, means for engaging the Work to cause the same to move a fixed distance, after each stitch, and means operative on said first means to disengage the work to cause the spacing of the stitches to be greater or less in portions of the series.

9. In a wire stitching machine, a stitching head, a motor, means including a clutch for connecting the motor and head in driving relation, means for feeding work past said head, means for controlling in varying degree the starting and stopping of the work fed past said head, means connecting said controlling means for actuation by said motor, means for varying the speed of the feeding of said work past said head, means for discharging finished work from said machine, means whereby the controlling means controls the activity of the discharge means; manually positionable means for causing the controlling means to initiate its operation, means controlled by said controlling means for insuring cycling thereof, means operative by said controlling means after discontinuance of operation of said feeding means to initiate operation of said discharging means, and means operative by said controlling means to terminate operation of the feeding means.

10. In a wire stitching machine, a platform, a stitching head adjacent said platform, a feed wheel displaceable through said platform to engage work to feed the same past said stitching head, a shaft secured to and pivotally mounting said wheel, a cam arm secured on said shaft, a discharge roller displaceable through said platform, means freely mounting said roller for pivotal movement about said shaft, a gear freely mounted on said shaft, a pinion meshing with said gear and secured to said roller, means for continuously driving said roller including. said gear and pinion, a cam arm secured to said roller mounting means, a power shaft, a pinion secured to said power shaft, a split pulley secured to said power shaft, an adjustable stub shaft, a gear carried by said stub shaft and meshing with said pinion on said power shaft, cams carried by said stub shaft carried gear cooperating with cam arms, a source of power, a clutch for connecting said source'of power to said stitching head and and means whereby said control member may be i replaced by other control members capable of a different spacing of the stitches controlled thereby.

12-. In a wire stapling machine, means for ef such stitches to engage the work and alone to eject the same from the machine.

13. In a wire stitching machine, a platform, a stitching head thereabove, means, including rollers mounted on fixed axes on said head, and a continuously driven roller mounted to oscillate through said platform and cooperative with said stitching head for feeding work between operations of said stitchin head.

stitch applying head, a continuously and unidirectionally driven feed roller of uniform diameter for feeding work past said head, and means whereby the feed roller is applied to and withdrawn from the work successively.

15. In astitching machine, a working head, means including free rollers on said head and a continuously driven roller cooperative therewith for tractively engaging work to feed the same past the working head, means for retracting said driven roller from work engaging relation, and means for starting and stopping said feeding means while in retracted position,

16. In a wire stapling machine, a stitching head for delivering a staple on each operation thereof, means for driving said head, retractable unidirectionally driven feed means, means for applying said feed means during inaction of said head, and means corresponding to the number of operations of said head in any series of operations, for effecting a corresponding number of feeding applications of said feed means.

17. In a machine for effecting a seam comprising a head and a platform, means including a continuously driven wheel for feeding and releasing work for action thereon by said head, means for varying the amount of feed between stitches, and means whereby the head operates during selected stoppages of said work.

18. In a machine for effecting a seam, means for integrating superposed areas of material, means including a cam pattern controller, a cam arm, a feed roller carried by said arm, meansfor driving said feed roller continuously, for varying the spacing of the integrated areas, and means for varying the speed of said feed roller to. vary the length of the seam integrated.

19. In a stitcher having a, work platform, a stitcher head over the work platform, means for feeding work under the stitcher head during the stitching operation, and a frame having rotatin means for removing the work after stitching and a stop adapted to move into the path of an unstitched work unit following the removal of, a stitched work unit from the stitching region.

20. In a stitcher having a work platform, a stitcher head, a stitcher shaft, a continuously rotating member clutch connected to said stitcher shaft to drive it and a trip to disconnect the clutch after the placement of a predetermined number ofstitches and an oscillating arm having means adapted to engage the carton to advance it to space stitches, and means for moving the arm to vary the duration of work engagement whereby the spacing between adjacent stitches is varied.

21. In a stitcher comprising a work platform, a stitcher head, a stitcher shaft, a continuously rotating member clutch connected to said stitcher shaft to drive it and a trip to disconnect the clutch from the stitcher shaft after the placement of stitches, a cam for holding the clutch connected through the trip during the placement of a plurality 01' stitches. and. to release the trip and disconnect the clutch when such stitches are 14. In a stitching machine, a power driven placed, continuously rotating elements movable to above the work table beyond the stitcher head, an operating linkage between the cam and the rotating elements, said cam serving to hold the elements in inactive position during the placement of the stitches and to permit said elements to engage the carton to discharge it when said stitches are placed.

22. In a carton stitcher having a stitcher head, means for setting the machine in motion to place a predetermined number of stitches, means for stopping the machine when said stitches are placed, a work table, a feed arm provided with a traction feed surface, said feed means being adapted to advance a carton under the stitcher after each stitch is made, said arm being oscillatingly mounted below the table, cam means for lowering the arm, and spring means for raising said surface into contact with a carton being stitched upon the. table, said cam being adapted ity of stitches are placed progressively, means for moving the carton to space the stitches therein,

-means for permitting the trip to return to normal from'the shaft for causing the head to place a to retract the surface from carton engaging position for different time intervals following the placement of some of the stitches by the stitcher head. 1

' 23. In a carton stitcher as claimed in claim 22,

.said cam having a plurality of depressions serving to raise the feed arm, some of said depressions being longer than others,

24. In a stitcher having a continuously rotating member, a stitcher head normally at rest and a predetermined number of stitches without stopping, means for intermittently moving a carton under the stitcher to space the stitches with the first and last stitches being closer to their adjacent intermittent stitches, said carton moving means including an arm adapted to engage the carton, means for oscillating the arm and a cam for lowering the arm means out of carton engaging position.

26. In a carton stitcher having a stitcher head, means for setting the machine in motion to place a predetermined number of stitches, means for stopping the machine when said stitches are placed, a work table, a feed arm provided with a reciprocative movement adapted to advance a carton under the stitcher head after a stitch is made, and means for holding the feed device in engaging contact with the carton at different time intervals following the placement of some,

of the stitches by the stitcher head. I

THOMAS A. MCCOY. 

